Tesch-Tunnel

The Tesch-Tunnel is a railway passage beneath Wuppertal that measures around 500 meters and allows trains to move through solid ground rather than over it. It uses construction methods typical of the late 1800s and is now protected as a heritage monument.

Construction of this passage finished in 1879, when railways were expanding rapidly across Germany and new routes were urgently needed. It formed part of the broader effort to modernize rail connections in the Wuppertal region.

The tunnel reflects how engineers of the past solved practical problems by cutting through rock and earth. It stands as a reminder of the ambition behind connecting cities through bold construction projects.

The tunnel remains in active use by trains every day, so viewing it from inside is only possible during regular train journeys through the area. The best way to experience it is during a train ride or by visiting from outside near the railway line.

This passage lies near Wuppertal's famous suspended railway, one of the oldest elevated rail systems in the world. Together, these two structures show how engineers chose two completely different answers to the same transportation challenge.